Prepayment vending apparatus.



Nor 895,779.-

7 F. E. MORGAN. v PREPAYMENT VENDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1902.

PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

5 SHEETS-SHEETJ.

Wzesses I 4 WQZW Zwmiw:

PATENTED AUG. 11', 1908. F. E. MORGAN. PREPAYMENT VENDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1902.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7 liven/Z0)" M f ww PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

F. E. MORGAN. PREPAYYMENT VENDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1902.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENIED AUG. 11

F. MORGAN. PREPAYMENT VENDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1902.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 895,779. PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

P. E. MORGAN.

PREPAYMENT VENDING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1902.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK EDWARD MORGAN, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO D. H. BURRELL & COMPANY, OF LITTLE FALLS, NEW YORK.

PREPAYMENT VENDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

Application filed August 29, 1902. Serial No. 121,4.-76.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK EDWARD Mon- GAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Prepayment Vending Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a prepayment vending apparatus which is mainly designed for use in connection with metersfor instance, gas metersa nd relates more particularly to a prepayment apparatus of the type disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No.

671,167, granted to me April 2, 1901. The apparatus of said patent comprises a stationary or non-rotary coin holder into which the coin is inserted through a coin slot in the inclosing casing for the mechanism; a handactuated purchasing shaft which is unlocked by a lever against which the coin acts upon inserting the latter, whereupon the purchasing rotation can be performed by the purchasing shaft; a cover for the coin slot which is moved to expose the slot for the insertion of the coin and which must be returned to a position to close the slot before the purchasing shaft can be operated; a coin ejector which is moved to discharge the coin from the holder when the purchasing movement has been completed, whereby the unlocking lever is released and caused to lock the purchasing shaft against further rotation in the purchasing direction, while the shaft is free to be returned to the starting point; a valve which controls the passage of gas to the meter; an intermediate purchasing shaft to which only the purchasing rotation is transmitted from the handactuated shaft; a meter actuated shaft and a rotatable disk which actuates the valve and which is connected both with the intermediate shaft and the meter actuated shaft by gears in such a man ner that this disk receives the purchasing movement, which opens the gas valve, from the intermediate purchasing shaft, and the return movement, which closes the valve when the purchased volume of gas has been delivered, from the meter actuated shaft.

One object of the present invention is'to improve this style of apparatus in several respects, but most of the features of the invention are also capable of use in prepayment apparatus of different organization or construction.

In the machine disclosed in said patent a cover is provided for closing the coin slot, which cover is moved to disclose the coin slot and when so moved locks the hand-actuated purchasing shaft until the coin is inserted and the cover again moved to cover the coin slot. This cover is operated independently of the purchasing shaft, and consequently increases the number of movements necessary to operate the machine.

One object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the coin slot cover is operated by the hand-actuated purchasing shaft and closes the coin slot before the purchasing shaft is effective in operating the purchasing mechanism.

It sometimes happens that the valve fails to operate to cut off the gas on account of dirt on the valve seat, a defective seat or defective valve. The gas which then leaks past the valve, acting through the meter bellows, is sometimes suflicient to break some part of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a valve operating mechanism of a construction which will prevent any injury to the apparatus in the event of the gas leaking past the valve when closed, and which will also prevent injury to the apparatus if a greater number of coins are introduced into the machine than the greatest capacity of the machine calls for, and which operates so that the volume of gas which leaks past the valve when it should be closed and is used by the consumer will be deducted from the amount purchased by succeeding operations of the machine.

Another object of this invention is to arrange the parts so that the valve and its casing can be located outside of the meter where it is easily accessible without danger of gas escaping into the outside air.

Another object of the invention is to construct and arrange the various parts of the apparatus in such a manner that they can be more readily assembled and applied to the meter and separated for the purpose of repairs, &c.

Another object is to provide a novel method of attaching the cash till to the casin of the prepayment mechanism which enabIes the cash till to be removed from the casing when it is desired to remove the coins from the till.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the machine in other respects, as will more fully appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of five sheets: Figure 1 is a front elevation of the upper part of a gas meter which is pro vided with a prepayment vending apparatus embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with the top plate of the meter and cover of the valve casing'removed. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same, the valve casing being partly broken away to disclose the valve. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, of the prepayment apparatus with the coin receptacle broken off. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the upper part of the coin holder and associated parts, viewed from the center of the casin Fig. 6 is a transverse Vertical section through the prepayment mechanism, in line 66, Fig. 4, looking toward the rear. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale,

through the valve actuating disk and associated parts. Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional elevation through the valve actuating disk, in line 88, Fig. 14, showing the parts in the position they occupy when the valve is closed. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional elevation through the front head of the casing for the prepayment mechanism, in line 9-9, Fig. 4 looking toward the front. Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional'elevation through the prepayment mechanism, in line 66, Fig. 4, coking toward the front. Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional elevation through the handactuated shaft and its knob. Fig. 12 is a reduced front elevation of the base plate for the casings for the prepayment mechanism and valve. Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional elevation, showing the coin ejector and bridge on which it is mounted. Fig. 14 is an enlarged sectional elevation through the valve-actuating disk and associated parts, in line 1414, Fig. 7, showin the parts in the position they occupy when fiie valve is open. Fig. 15 is a top plan view of the apparatus, the top plate of the meter casing being removed, showing a different arrangement of the valve casing. Fig. 16 is a similar View, the valve casing being partly broken away, showing another arrangement of the valve casing.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the casing of an ordinary gas meter, provided in its upper portion with the usual chamber, which contains the flag arms a and rods a, the vertical shaft a operated thereby, and the registering mechanism (L The latter is o erated from the vertical shaft a by the usuaFforwardly-extending horizontal shaft a, which is driven from the vertical shaft (1 by a worm a and gear wheel a.

11 represents a horizontal shaft which is arranged atright angles to the shaft 0 and connects with the shaft of the prepayment apparatus. The shaft a is rotated from the registering mechanism or any other moving part of the meter by any suitable means. As shown in the drawings, Figs. 2 and 7, this shaft a is rotated from the horizontal shaft a by an upright counter shaft a which is geared with the shaft a by a worm a on the latter and a horizontal gear wheel a. on the shaft a and with the shaft (1 by a worm wheel a on the counter shaft a and a vertical gear wheel (1. on' the shaft M.

The horizontal shaft a and vertical counter shaft a are mounted and journaled in a frame B which is secured to the bottom plate or floor of the meter attic by soldering, or in any other suitable manner. The upper portion 1) of the frame, which constitutes one of the bearings for the vertical counter shaft, extends horizontally beneath the register shaft a and is provided with upright posts b which extend up and bear against the rear side of the register shaft at opposite ends of the worm a frame part b in such a relation to the gear wheel 01, that when the frame is secured in the meter with the posts in engagement with the register shaft the correct mesh is established between the gear wheel a and worm a thus materially aiding in a quick application of the prepayment mechanism to the meter. The frame part b is adjustably connected to the bottom of the frame B by a foot 6 and screws 1), Fig. 7, to enable the correction of slight inaccuracies in securing the frame in the meter attic. The post I) also takes the thrust of the worm and relieves the inner bearing for the register shaft, which is usually frail.

The prepayment mechanism is inclosed in a casing which is arranged outside of the meter. This casing consists of a base or back plate 0, a cylindrical body C, and a circular front plate or head C The back plate is provided with a rearwardly extending marginal flange 0 which bears against and is permanently secured by soldering or otherwise to the vertical wall 0 of the meter casing. The body C of the casing is detachably secured to said back plate by screws 0 which extend rearwardly through a vertical partition a in the rear portion of the casing and engage in screw-threaded holes in posts 0 secured to and projecting forwardly from the backplate. The front head, which preferably consists of an inner plate 0 and an outer plate .0 spaced from and detachably connected by bolts or other means to the inner plate, as shown in Fig. 4, is detachably secured to the body C of the casing in any suitable manner which will prevent it from being removed by an unauthorized. person. For instance, as shown in said patent, the head is held on the body of the casing by cooperating pins 0 and slots 0 and a tongue d These posts are fixed to the which is secured to the coin receptacle or till D and engages in slots in the body and head of'the casing. The plates of the front head are provided with alined coin slots 0 The coin receptacle is preferably detachably secured to the casing of the prepayment mechanism in the following manner: (1 represents an arm which is secured to the coin receptacle at one side and extends up into the casing through the opening in the bottom thereof through which the coins drop into the coin receptacle. The arm is provided at its upper end with a hole adapted to be engaged over a stud d projecting inwardly from the adjacent side of the casing. The coin receptacle is provided at the other side with a hasp d which is secured to a staple d on the casing by a lock (1 When the lock is removed and the hasp disengaged from the staple, the coin receptacle can be swung sidewise to disengage the arm (1 from its holding stud. By this manner of attaching the coin receptacle it can be quickly detached and inverted to remove the coins. As the screws 0 which secure the casing body to the back plate are located inside of the casing the latter cannot be detached from the meter until the coin receptacle is unlocked and the head detached, thus permitting only an authorized person to remove the casing, but when the head is removed the screws 0 can be readily operated with an ordinary screw-driver.

As in the apparatus of the said patent, the purchasing movement is applied by the purchaser, after inserting the coin, to a handactuated shaft which is capable of rotary movement either in the purchasing or in the return direction. This purchasing movement is transmitted to the valve-actuating disk by an intermediate shaft, which is cap able of rotation only in the purchasing direction, while the return movement is imparted to the valve-actuating disk by gearing connecting it with the meter-actuated shaft.

The hand-actuated shaft is preferably made of a front part E and a rear part E which are mounted and coupled in the fol? lowing manner: The front part of the shaft extends through the front head of the casing and is provided at its outer end with an operating knob or handle 6, which is sleeved on the projecting end of the shaft and is provided with a reduced rear end which bears loosely in holes e in the separated plates forming the front head of the casing for the prepayment mechanism. The rear part E of the hand-actuated shaft extends through the vertical wall 0 of the meter casing into the prepayment casing through the back plate thereof, and is journaled in a stufiing box 6 attached to the wall of the meter casing in any desired manner, for instance, as shown in said patent, to make a gas tight joint and enable the ready application of the stuffing box to the meter casing. The adjacent ends of the two parts of the hand-actuated shaft are supported and coupled as follows: F, Figs. 4 and 6, represents a disk, which 1 term the purchasing disk, and which is rotatably mounted on the front side of the partition 0 by a hubf which bears loosely in a hole in the partition. The inner end of the front part E of the hand-actuated shaft is centered and detachably bears in an axial hole f 3 in the disk hub f and the outer end of the rear part E of the shaft detachably engages in the hole f in the disk hub, but is coupled to the hub, so as to be rotated with the purchasing disk, by suitable means, such as a transverse pin f secured to the hub and passing through an open-ended longitudinal slot f in the end of the rear shaft part E. This detachable connection between the purchasing disk and the rear part of the shaft enables the entire prepayment mechanism in the casing and the latter to be detached from the meter without withdrawing the rear part of the shaft from its stuffing box. This is a material advantage for the reason that the shaft after being removed from the stuffing box cannot be again inserted without removing the top plate of the meter casing to get at the stuffing box.

The purchasing disk is driven or rotated in the purchasing direction, that is tovthe right, or clock-wise as described in the said patent, by a driving disk G, Figs. 4 and 6, which is arranged adjacent to the purchasing disk and transmits its movement to the purchasing disk by one or more spring pressed pawls g, Fig. 6, pivoted on the purchasing disk and engaging with the knurled or toothed peripheral face of the driving disk. These pawls allow the latter to perform its return rotation without affecting the purchasing disk. The driving disk G is not mounted as described in said patent but is formed on or secured to the inner end of the front part of the handactuated shaft and is removable therewith from the casing. In order to enable the driving disk to be properly engaged with the pawls g with little trouble the rear portion 9 of the peripheral face of the driving disk is smooth and beveled so that when the rear end of the front part of the hand-actuated shaft is engaged in its bearing hole in the hub of the purchasing disk and pressed inwardly, the pawls ride upon the beveled face of the disk and are forced outwardly against the action of their springs which then hold the pawls in engagement with the periphery of the driving disk.

H, Fig. 6, is a pawl which is pivoted on the front side of the partition 0 and engages the peripheral face of the purchasing disk in such a direction that it prevents the latter from rotating in the purchasing direction unless the pawl is released. The pawl is normally held in engagement with the disk by a spring h of any suitable form which is secured to the partition 0 and bears on a pin projecting from the pawl. Suitable means is provided for applying a frictional resistance to the purchasing disk to prevent dead movement or play of the same. A simple and efficient device for this purpose consists of a spring plate h, Fig. 4, which is arranged in the rear side of the partition 0 and secured to the hub of the purchasing disk to rotate therewith by a pin 71 which passes through the hub and between lugs it (one only of which is shown) on the spring plate. The outer ends of the spring plate, which is bowed rearwardly, bear with a yielding pressure on the rear face of the partition.

I, Figs. 4 and 10, represents the graduated disk or dial for adjusting the apparatus to the price of gas. This disk is arranged against the rear side of the front head and secured to the front part of the handac tuated shaft. The dial is provided with a coin slot 6 which registers with the coin slot in the head in the initial position of the dial, and has a knurled or toothed periphery. Fig. 10, represents a pawl pivoted on the inner face of the front head and pressed toward the dial disk by a suitable spring i which is secured to the head and bears against a pin projecting from the pawl. This pawl is normally held out of engagement with the disk and is released to engage the disk and hold the latter from return movement when the coin is inserted, as hereinafter described.

J represents the valve actuating disk,

'which in the present apparatus is arranged inside of the meter attic between the meteractuated shaft a and the inner end of the rear part E of the hand-actuated shaft. The disk is rotated by the hand actuated shaft in the purchasing direction to open the valve, and by the meter-actuated shaft in the return direction to close the valve through the medium of gearing, such as shown in said patent, and which in the form shown in the drawings is constructed as follows: K, Figs. 2 and 7, represents the purchasing shaft which is journaled in a bearing opening in the frame 13 for the meteractuated shaft a and steadied at its inner end by entering an axial hole is in the front end of the latter shaft. The purchasing shaft is coupled in any suitable manner to the rear part of the hand-actuated shaft to rotate therewith and be readily connected to and disconnected therefrom. As shown,

the front end of the purchasing shaft extends into a socket in the hand-actuated shaft and is provided with a transverse pin 10 which engages in longitudinal open-ended slots in the latter shaft. k is a gear wheel fixed to the purchasing shaft adjacent to the valve actuating disk and provided with a.

hub on which the hub 76 of the disk is journaled. k is an internal gear wheel fixed on the front end of the meter-actuated shaft and k represents idlers journaled on studs projecting from the disk and meshing with the internal gear wheel k and gear wheel W.

L, Figs. 4 and 9, represents the guard or cover for the coin slot 111 the front head C of the casing for the prepayment mechanism. In the construction shown, the cover is arranged between the inner and outer plates of the head and is pivoted on a pin Z on the outer plate of the front head. The hand-actuated shaft of the prepayment mechanism is locked from movement in the purchasing direction until the coin is introduced to release the shaft. In order to prevent a coin from being inserted and the shaft released and the coin then withdrawn, and to revent the releasing means from being heid in released position by an instrument inserted through the slot, while the shaft is being turned, means are provided which moves the guard to close the slot and hold it in this closed position before the shaft can be turned in the purchasing direction. For this purpose the knob for the hand-actuated shaft is loosely connected therewith so that it can be turned for a partial rotation while the shaft is held station ary. The knob is shown as provided with a diametrical pin Z which fits tightly in holes in the hollow knob and passes through a hole Z in the shaft of larger diameter than the pin. The inner end of the knob has secured thereto between the plates of the head 0 a disk or cam Z which is circular nearly throughout its circumference and is provided with a notch Z one face of which is cam-shaped and the other face of which is abrupt or substantially radial to the disk. The guard is provided with an arm Z having a reduced end which is adapted to extend into said notch in the cam when the guard is in open position, as indicated by full lines in Fig. 9. When the knob is turned to the right as far as its loose connection with the shaft permits, the

cam face of the notch in the disk will engage the arm of the guard and cause the arm to ride up onto the circular face of the cam, which movement throws the guard into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9 to close the coin slot. The guard is held in the closed position by the circular face of the cam during the entire purchasing rotation of the shaft. When the knob is turned in the opposite direction to return the purchasing shaft to the initial position the abrupt face of the notch engages the arm ofthe cover and moves the latter to the open position.

Z is a spring which is secured to the outer plate of the front head and bears against the arm of the guard to throw the latter to open position, and Z is a second spring secured to the casing head and which is provided with an inbent end bearing against a projection Z on the up er end of the guard. This second spring ho ds the guard against movement by the first spring until the guard is moved by the cam with the projection Z bearing on the apex of the bent portion of the spring Z The first spring I then snaps the guard to the open position with a quick movement By actuating the guard by means of the knob for the actuating shaft the number of movements necessary to operate the machine is materially lessened and an inexperienced person can be made to understand the operation of the machine much easier.

The coin holder into which the coin is inserted through the coin slot is similar in principle to that described in the said patent, but is referably constructed as follows: The coin holder, Figs. 4, 6, 10 and 13, is composed of a lower stationary jaw M and an upper tilting jaw M. The lower jaw which has a horizontal supporting ledge and an upright guard flange is supported horizontally in the casing adjacent to the lower end of the coin slot by a bridge or supporting bar m. The latter is secured at opposite ends by screws or the like m to posts in which project inwardly from the inside of the removable head of the easing. The bridge may be secured to the front head in any other manner so as to be removable with the head from the. casing. The upper jaw, the under face. of which is rooved or notched to hold the coin vertica, is secured to a rock shaft m which is arranged lon gitudinally in the casing adjacent to one side thereof. The rear reduced endof the rock shaft is journaled in a bearing opening m in the partition 0 and the front end of the shaft passes through a bearing opening in-the upright forward end of a bracket m which is secured at its rear end by a screw or the like m to the partition, and projects forwardly therefrom. This manner of mounting the shaft in the casing enables the bracket, together with the shaft and parts carried there' by, to be readily removed with an ordinary screw driver after the front head of the casing has been removed. m is a spring of any suitable form for yieldingly holding the rock shaft with the upper coin-holder jaw down in the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 10, in which position the upper jaw stands in the path of the upper edge of the coin so as to be raised by the coin when inserted into the coin holder. The spring shown is secured to the shaft and its free end bears against the upper part of the inclosing casing. The fixed end of the spring m extends beyond the rock shaft 1% and constitutes a stop pin in adapted to engage a fixed part, such as the bearing bracket for the shaft, to limit the turning of the shaft by the spring and hold the shaft with the upper jaw in position to be operated by the coin. Any other suitable stop may be employed. The rock shaft is rovided at its rear end with an arm N which projects under the projecting pin on the pawl H which engages the purchasing disk to hold the latter and the hand-actuated shaft from rotation in the purchasing direction. The rock shaft is provided at its forward end with a depending arm N which engages the pin on the return pawl i for the dial disk, and which in the normal position of the parts holds said pawl released or out of engagement with the disk dial. WVhen the coin is inserted into the coin holder, the upper jaw is lifted thereby andthe rock shaft rocked, whereby its rear arm -bl releases the pawl H from the purchasing disk to permit the latter to turn in the purchasing direction, while its front arm l permits the return pawl i to engage the dial and prevent the return movement of the hand-actuated shaft.

The dial is provided on its rear face with a stop 0, Figs. 4 and 10, which rests against a stop on one side of the bridge m on the front head when the dial is in its initial position, in which the coin slot of the dial is in register with the coin slot of the head. The dial is graduated to indicate in large units the number of feet of gas purchased by the coin, and carries a throw-off pin 0 which operates the coin ejector to eject the coin from the holder and stops the purchasing movement of the hand-actuated shaft when the latter has been turned to the proper extent to deliver the volume of gas for which one coin pays. The throw-off pin is adjustably mounted on the dial by means of a vernier device 0 fully described in said patent, and which enables the throw-off pin to be properly positioned on the dial with reference to the starting point to act when a purchasing rotation equal to any desired number of feet has been made by the shaft.

P, Figs. 4 and 10, is the stop which is en gaged by the throw-off pin to arrest the purchasing movement of the shaft. The stop is pivoted on the bridge and its free end is normally held in the path of the throw-off pin by a spring p, Fig. 13, of any suitable form. The stop is provided with an inclined front face 10 which thethrow-off pin is adapted to engage to lift the pivoted stop when the throw-off pin is set nearly the full circumference of the dial in rear of the stop 0. The stop P being pivoted permits the throw-off in to be set so that in the initial position of the dial the throw-off pin is at the free end of the. pivoted stop, and the dial can then be turned a full revolution minus the thickness of the throw-off pin, before the dial is arrested.

The coin ejector, Figs. 10 and 13, is preferably in the form of a flat. spring plate Q which is secured to the bridge and in its normal position lies fiat against the bridge at one side of the coin when the latter is placed in the coin holder. The ejectorplate is provided with a nose g which projects through a hole in the bridge and has an inclined face which lies in the path of the throw-off pin. I/Vhen the latter, in the rotation of the hand-actuated shaft, engages the inclined face of the nose the ejector plate is forced outwardly into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 10, and the coin is thrown out of the coin holder to permit the upper jaw of the latter to drop and rock the rock shaft to cause the pawl H to engage the purchasing disk, and relelase the pawl i from engagement with the dia The described manner of mounting and arranging the coin holder shaft in the casing, and the stationary jaw of the coin holder and the coin ejector in the bridge carried by the front head greatly facilitates the assembling of these parts and the detachment of the same for the purpose of repairs. The bridge is detached from the head by removing its holding screws, and after it is detached, the front part E of the hand-actuated shaft with the parts carried thereby can be detached from the front head by removing the pin holding the knob on the shaft, slipping off the knob and drawing the shaft rearwardly out of its bearing opening in the head.

R represents the gas valve and S the valve casing. In the construction shown in Figs. 1-13 of the drawings, the valve casing is located outside of the meter where it can be easily gotten at to replace the valve leathers or make other necessary repairs. The valve casing, see Fig. 3, is divided by a partition t, which contains the valve seat, into a compartment connecting with the inlet pipe 6 and a compartment connecting by an outlet opening with the inlet pipe 15 of the meter. The valve casing is secured by soldering or otherwise to a base plate t which is formed with or secured to the base plate C for the prepayment casing. The valve casing has an opening it closed by a removable screw cap i which may be locked by a seal or other means to prevent its being opened by antinauthorized person. The valve R is pro vided with a depending stem 8 which is guided in a bearing 8 carried by the partition 15, and an upwardly projecting stem 8 which is guided by a pin 8 depending from the screw cap for the valve casing. 8 represents the valve operating shaft or spindle which is connected by a crank s and link 8 to the valve and projects out of the valve casing, through a stuffing box 8 of any preferred form carried by the valve easing, into the attic of the meter. The opening in the meter wall through which the stuffing box passes is closed in any suitable manner to provide a gas tight oint. Any other form of valve and connection between the same and the operating spindle may be employed, but that shown is deemed preferable.

U represents a shaft which is j ournaled in the meter attic, adjacent to the valve actuating disk, in a bearing a on the frame B.- The valve spindle is detachably connected to the shaft U, so as to rotate therewith, by a coupling a of any preferred type, for instance, a flexible coupling such as shown in said patent, connecting the hand-actuated and meter-actuated shafts.

a is a wheel or disk which is secured to the shaft U and is provided with two separated projections or shoulders a Fig. 14, between which a projecting pin a on the valve actuating disk J is adapted to engage to partially turn the shaft U and valve spindle to open and close the valve.

14 is a spring secured to the frame B and provided with a tooth or projection which engages in a shallow notch in the periphery of the wheel a to rele'asably hold the valve open and prevent its accidental closing.

In the normal position of the parts, in which the valve is closed,'the pin on the valve actuating disk projects between the projections or shoulders 10 as shown in Fig. 8, and when the hand-actuated shaft is op erated and the valve-actuating disk turned, as before described, the pin operating on the upper projection turns the shaft U until the valve is opened and then passes from between the projections leaving the valve open. I/Vhen the valve-actuating disk is returned by the meter-actuated shaft the pin 24* engages the lower projection or shoulder and closes the valve. In the construction shown, see Figs. 8 and 14, the pin passes through a hole in the valve-actuating disk and is carried by the free end of aflat s ring V which is secured to the rear side of the disk. The end of the pin is preferably provided with inclined faces. In case the valve is defective or for any reason permits the passage of gas to the meter in sufficient volume to operate the meter-actuated shaft, the valve-actuating disk will continue its movement after it has closed the valve. One of the inclined faces of the pin being engaged by the lower projection or shoulder, the pin will be forced rearwardly and pass the lower projection. By this construction the leakage of gas past the valve cannot injure the apparatus. Then the pin on the valve-actuating disk has thus passed the lower projection or shoulder in the direction which closes the valve, and the prepayment mechanism is operated for the purchase of gas, a movement of the hand-actuated shaft and disk representing the volume of gas which has leaked'past the valve is first necessary to return the valve-actuating disk to the initial position, and only the remainder of the purchasing movement is effective in purchasing gas. Consequently the gas leaking to the meter and which is used by the consumer is paid for at the next purchase of gas and there is no loss to the producer. A further advantage of the construction is that if another coin is inserted after sufficient coins have been introduced into the apparatus to pay for the largest volume of gas which the prepayment mechanism is intended to deliver, and the valve-actuating disk has been turned nearly a complete revolution, thereby bringing the pin a against the lower side of the lower projection, the pin can spring past the lower projection or shoulder and no harm can come to the machine.

By the described arrangement of the valve and its operating means any gas leaking through the stuffing box for the valve spindle passes into the meter attic, where it can do no harm, and not out into the external air or room in which the meter is located. By making the base plate 0 for the valve casing a part of the base plate for the casing of the prepayment mechanism, the valve casing can be secured in place on its base plate and the parts of the valve operating mechanism adjusted to each before shipment from the factory, thus insuring against mistakes which might be made by inexperienced workmen in applying the mechanism to its meter.

lhe operation of the apparatus is as follows :Assuming the hand actuated shaft E and dial I to be in the initial or zero position and the coin slot open, or uncovered by its guard L, a coin, check or other token is inserted through the coin slot between the coin holding jaws M M, thereby rocking the jaw M and shaft m to which it is attached. This movement of the shaft m through its arms N N operates the pawls H and i to release the purchasing disk F so that it can be turned in the purchasing direction, and lock the dial I and hand actuated shaft against movement in the opposite direction. The knob e of the hand actuated shaft is then turned in the purchasing direction to the right) and by means of its cam Z swings the guard L into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, so as to close the coin slot, which is accomplished before the hand actuated shaft is rotated by reason of the loose connection of'the knob with the shaft. The further rotation of the knob in the pur chasing direction turns the hand actuated shaft and the purchasing disk F, which is caused to move with the shaft by the pawls g which engage the driving disk G. The rear part E of the hand actuated shaft, which is coupled to the purchasing disk, and the purchasing shaft K are thus rotated and turn the valve actuating disk J to open the valve R in the manner described. When the hand actuated shaft has been turned far enough to secure the amount of gas which the coin will purchase, the throw-off pin 0, which is mounted on the dial I, will strike the nose g of the coin ejector Q and move the latter to throw the coin out of the coin holder, and the movement of the hand actuate (1 shaft will then be arrested by the engagement of the throw-ofi pin with the stop P. The coin holder jaw M is released when the coin is ejected and the rock shaft m returned by its spring moving the pawls H and "L to lock the purchasing disk against further purchasing rotation and release the dial I to permit the hand actuated shaft and dial to be returned to the initial, zero position and the guard moved to open the coin slot for the insertion of another coin. The purchasing mechanism is therefore held from further movement in the purchasing direction as soon as the coin is ejected from the coin holder, and only a predetermined amount of gas can be purchased for one coin. The valve actuating disk J is rotated in the opposite direction by the meter actuated shaft a and closes the valve R in the manner before described. The parts are now in position for another purchase of gas by repeating the operations just outlined.

In Fig. 15 the valve casing, as well as the valve operating mechanism, is located in the meter attic. In this construction the valve operating mechanism is like that already described, eXcept that the pin w on the valveactuating disk W engages in a notch in the disk w on the valve spindle instead of between projections on a disk on a shaft coupled to the valve spindle. The operation is the same.

In Fig. 16 the valve and valve casing X are located outside of the meter casing and directly between the inlet pipe to the valve casing and pipe which leads to the meter. The valve casing in this form of the invention is not provided with the removable cap.

In all three of the arrangements of the valve casing shown the valve-actuating mechanism and the stufiing box for the valve spindle are located within the meter attic and there can be no leakage to the external air.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a prepayment apparatus, the combi nation of a purchasing mechanism, ahandactuated operating device therefor having a loose connection with said purchasing mechanism whereby said operating device is ca pable of an initial movement without actuating said purchasing mechanism, a coincontrolled locking mechanism which is stationary relative to said hand-actuated device, and a device which is operatively connected to said operating device and is moved to a position to prevent the insertion of a coin into said purchasing mechanism by the initial movement of said hand-actuated device in the purchasing direction and before said hand-actuated device operates said purchasing mechanism, substantially as set forth.

2. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of a casing having a coin slot, purchasing mechanism, a hand-actuated operating device therefor having a loose connection with said purchasing mechanism, whereby said operating device is capable of an initial movement independently of said purchasing mechanism, a coin-controlled locking mechanism, and a movable guard which is operatively connected to said operating device and is moved to close said coin slot by the initial movement of said hand-actuated device before said handactuated device operates said purchasing mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of a purchasing shaft, a hand-actuated operating device for said shaft having a loose connection therewith and having a limited movement relative to said purchasing shaft, a coin controlled locking mechanism, a movable guard for said locking mechanism, and operative connections between said hand-actuated device and said guard for operating the latter prior to the commencement of the purchasing movement of said shaft, substantially as set forth.

4. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of an inclosing casing provided with a coin slot, a purchasing shaft, an operating handle loosely connected to said shaft and having a limited movement relative thereto, a movable guard for said coin slot, and a cam connected to said handle for operating said guard, substantially as set forth.

5. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of an inclosing casing provided with a coin slot, a purchasing shaft, an operating handle loosely connected to said shaft, a movable guard for said coin slot, and a cam connected to said handle and provided with a part for moving said guard to close the slot when the handle is turned in one direction, and a part for moving the guard to open the slot when said handle is turned in the opposite direction, substantially as set forth.

6. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of an inclosing casing provided with a coin slot, a purchasing shaft, an operating handle loosely connected to said shaft, a movable guard for said coin slot, a spring which acts to move said guard, a second spring which holds said guard from movement by said first spring, and a device connected to said handle for moving said guard against the opposition of said second spring, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a meter, a valve, a rotatable disk which is turned in one direction by said meter, a yielding projection carried by said disk and adapted to engage a part connected to said valve to operate the latter, and a coin controlled hand actuated mechanism for rotating said disk in the opposite direction, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of a meter, a valve, a rotatable disk, a yielding projection carried by said disk and adapted to engage a part connected to said valve to operate the latter,

a coin-controlled hand-actuated mechanism for rotating said disk to open the valve, and a meter actuated mechanism for rotating said disk in the opposite direction to close said valve, substantially as set forth.

9. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of a meter, a valve, a rotatable valve spindle rovided with separated shoulders, a rotatab e disk, a spring pressed pin carried by said disk and adapted to engage between said separated shoulders on the valve spindle to operate the latter, coin controlled means for rotating said disk to open the valve, and means actuated by said meter for rotating said disk to close the valve, substantially as set forth.

10. In a prepayment apparatus, the com bination of an inclosing casing for the prepayment mechanism, a removable cover for said casing, and a coin holder comprising a part mounted on said casing and a part mounted on and removable with said removable cover, substantially as set forth.

11. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of an inclosing casing for the prepayment mechanism, a removable cover for said casing, a coin holder inclosed by said casing and comprising a movable jaw mounted on said casing, and a stationary jaw" mounted on and removable with said removable cover, substantially'as set forth.

12. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of an inclosing casing for the pre payment mechanism, a removable cover for said casing, a bridge mounted on said cover, a coin holder comprising a movable jaw mounted on said casing, and a stationary jaw mounted on and removable with said bridge, substantially as set forth.

13. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of an inclosing casing for the prepayment mechanism, a removable cover for said casing, a coin holder comprising a movable jaw and a stationary jaw, and a bracket detachably secured in said casing, said movable jaw mounted on .and removable with said bracket from the casing, said stationary jaw being mounted on and removable'with said cover, substantially as set forth.

14. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of an inclosing casing, a removable cover therefor, a coin holder, an ejector device mounted on said cover, a hand-operated purchasing device, and a part connected with said purchasing device and engaging said ejector device to eject the coin from said holder, substantially as set forth.

15. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of an inclosing casing, a coin holder, a hand-actuated purchasing shaft carrying a device operating the coin ejector and simultaneously striking a stop thereby limiting the purchasing rotation of the shaft, substantially as set forth.

16. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of an inclosing casing, a removable cover therefor, a bridge mounted on said cover, a coin holder comprising two members one of which is mounted on said bridge, a hand actuated purchasing shaft, and a stop connected to said shaft and adapted to engage a cooperating stop on said bridge to limit the purchasing movement of said shaft, substantially as set forth.

17. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination of an inclosing casing, a removable cover therefor, a coin holder, a bridge secured to said cover, a coin ejector carried by said bridge, a stop carried by said bridge, a hand-actuated purchasing shaft, and a throw-off device movable with said shaft and adapted to operate said ejector to eject the coin from said coin holder and to engage and be arrested by said stop on the bridge, substantially as set forth.

18. In a prepayment apparatus, the combination .of a handactuated purchasing shaft, a stop device movable therewith, and a stop P which cooperates with said stop device to arrest said purchasing shaft and which is movably mounted and adapted to be moved out of the path of said device, substantially as set forth.

19. In a prepayment apparatus, the com-' bination of a hand actuated purchasing shaft, a device movable therewith, and a cooperating stop which is pivotally mounted and provided with a part adapted to be engaged by said device to move said pivoted stop out of the path of said device, substantially as set forth.

20. The combination of a casing, a removable cover therefor, a purchasing disk mounted in said casing, an actuating shaft mounted on said cover, and a drive disk for said purchasing disk secured to said shaft, said shaft and drive disk being removable from said casing with said cover, substantially as set forth.

21. The combination of a casing, a removable cover therefor, a purchasing disk mounted in said casing, an actuating shaft journaled on said cover, a drive disk for said purchasing disk secured to said shaft, and pawls carried by one disk and engaging the other, said shaft and drive disk being removable from said casing with said cover, substantially as set forth.

22. The combination of a casing, a removable cover therefor, a purchasing disk ournaled in said casing, an actuating shaft journaled on said cover, a drive disk secured to said shaft, pawls carried by said purchasing disk and adapted to engage said drive disk, and a beveled face on said drive disk for moving said pawls to permit the connection of the drive disk and purchasing disk, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand, his 23rd day of August, 1902.

FRANK EDWARD MORGAN. [n 8.]

Witnesses:

LOOMIS BURRELL, W. T. WOLFENDEN. 

